Oil painting by Paul Cornoyer soars to $96,000 at Shannon's April 26 fine art auctionA painting by Paul Cornoyer (Am., 1864-1923), titled A Spring Day, New York and depicting carriages in New York City, sold for $96,000 at an auction held April 26 by Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers.

News-Antique.com - May 25,2012 - (MILFORD, Conn.) – A painting by American artist Paul Cornoyer (1864-1923), titled A Spring Day, New York and depicting carriages in New York City, sold for $96,000 at an auction held April 26 by Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers. The 18 inch by 24 inch painting was the top lot of the 127 artworks that changed hands.

“It doesn’t surprise me the Cornoyer painting took top honors. It was a fine rendering, done by an important 20th century artist,” said Sandra Germain, a partner at Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers. Cornoyer was born in St. Louis, Mo. His first works were in the Barbizon mode, but he later evolved after training at the Academie Julien in Paris and then moving to New York.

In all, 158 artworks were offered, of which 82 percent (127) sold “We are encouraged by that figure,” Ms. Germain said. “It tells us that the market for quality artwork is both healthy and strong. Activity levels were high during the sale, in terms of bidder activity and inquiries. By the time all the receipts were tallied, we grossed right at $2 million. It was a good auction.”

Just over 500 total bids were submitted, a number that combines online bidding (through Artfact.com and the Shannon’s website, www.shannons.com), phone and absentee bids. “Phone bids were especially active,” Germain remarked. “All lines were busy with determined bidders, from the time the first gavel came down to the last. And, as always, Internet bidding was brisk.”

Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include the 20 percent buyer’s premium.

A scene of New York Harbor by the renowned American artist Edward Moran (1829-1901), the oil on canvas done circa 1875 and measuring 21 ½ inches by 36 inches, went for $75,000; while a small harbor scene on Long Island by the pioneer “Ashcan” painter William Glackens (Am., 1870-1938), titled Brewster’s Creek, made $60,000.

An oil on canvas painting by Francis Luis Mora (Am., 1874-1940), titled American Gladiators and exhibited at the National Academy in 1908, 70 inches by 52 ½ inches, realized $52,800; and an oil on canvas still life by Arthur Wesley Dow (Am., 1857-1922), titled Yellow Flowers, Ipswich, done circa 1905, hit $50,400.

An untitled Modernist acrylic on canvas by Nicholas Krushenick (Am., 1929-1999), signed and dated August 1965, 52 inches by 45 inches, breezed to $43,200; and a colorful depiction of an Arab rug seller by Addison Millar (Am., 1860-1913), titled The Oriental Shop, signed lower left with a thumbprint, 22 inches by 28 inches, brought $40,800, the second highest price paid for a work by the artist at auction.

A newly discovered oil on canvas by Franz Josef Kline (Am., 1910-1962), titled Two Horses, purchased from the artist in 1947, signed lower left with the artist’s device and dated 1945 on the reverse, topped out at $38,400; and a museum-size masterpiece by Robert Smithson (Am., 1938-1973), titled The Serpent of Blood, 88 inches by 83 inches, signed, rose to $36,000.